Fire displaces local couple

By Brian Sanders
Holton Recorder – December 9, 2013
Submitted by Newz Group Clipping Service – December 27, 2013

A Thursday afternoon fire left the home of a Holton couple “pretty well gutted,” according to Holton Fire Chief Kevin Ingels.

Holton firefighters were called to the home of Jeremy and Julie Porter at 708 New York Ave. at about 12:35 p.m. that day, Ingels said. Upon arrival, firefighters found smoke coming from the house’s basement, second story window and attic vents, and it had been estimated that the fire, which was believed to have started near a basement furnace, had been burning for some time before anyone discovered it.

“We tried to go in through the front door, but the living room floor was already burned through,” Ingels said.

Firefighters entered the rear of the house, located the basement fire and “got it knocked down,” he said. However, the fire had worked its way up to the second story and attic area, and firefighters had to vent the roof of the house to get to the source of the smoke coming from the attic.

Crews eventually were able to locate “hot spots” with a thermal imaging camera and “mop up” the fire, clearing the scene shortly before 4 p.m., Ingels said. No one was home at the time the fire was reported, he added, and no firefighters were injured while fighting the fire.

Due to the amount of damage to the home–estimated at about $90,000, according to a Holton Fire Department report–the home was declared unlivable, Ingels said.